Basking in Irrelevance is a powerful record. Quaint Delusions waste no time getting into a groove on the opening track, “Make It Alright.” Stark, sparsely strummed power chords tear into the mix on scorching electric guitars. The vocal harmonies are superb in the verses, but it’s the “Make it alright” refrain in the bridge/choruses, which is incredibly catchy, that really wins me over. This is how an album should be kicked off. The listener’s attention should be immediately grabbed, and Quaint Delusions certainly knows how to do just that. That electric guitar solo at the end of the track? Wow. Just breathtaking skill on display. That’s some mean shredding. “Gone” drives forwards with a chugging electric chord progression, played on muted strings. It reminds me of the pop-punk days that I sorely miss. The Offspring had a similar vocal energy and instrumentation, but there’s definitely a vibrant color and jovial energy to Quaint Delusions that sets them apart from pop-punk bands of that era. Definitely on “Gone,” anyway. The vocal hook in the verses is a real earworm, and I love the energy in the choruses. Another scorching highlight on an album that’s full of impressive moments. “Chief Barrel Belly” has a fantastic chord progression; there’s a darkness to it, but a glimmer of hope lurks in one or two chords. The choruses certainly sparkle with a little hope and brightness. I love the rapidly-plucked lead guitar riff in the choruses too. There’s a whirlwind of sound that sweeps through this song in the evocative vocals and complex instrumentation, which says a lot because it’s a song with quite a slow tempo. I love the tone on the cleanly-strummed rhythm guitar and the distorted lead guitar. Quaint Delusions is a band that offers rock songs with real heart, and I’ve really only scratched the surface of what they offer on their latest release. You’ll have to listen for yourself.